- TM Maple
T.M. Maple (b. c. 1956) [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=90657&page=4 "Petition for the Return of the Letters Page!" Newsarama (Nov. 10, 2006).] Accessed Sept. 28, 2008] was the
pseudonym of Jim Burke, aCanadian who wrote more than 3,000 letters tocomic book letter column s between 1977 and 1994.Cronin, Brian. [http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/03/01/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-92/ "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed" #92, Comic Book Resources (Mar. 1, 2007).] Accessed Sept. 27, 2008.]Burke's letters were quite popular among readers as well as editors, and he wrote prolifically to a diverse number of comic publishing companies and titles. Burke originally signed his letters as “The Mad Maple,” but
Marvel Comics editorRoger Stern abbreviated it to "T.M. Maple" to make it sound like a real name (thus circumventing a new policy at the company to stop printing letters submitted under pseudonyms). Burke took a liking to the new name and began using it exclusively (including variations like "Theodore Maddox Maplehurst") until 1988, when inScott McCloud 's "Zot! " #21 he revealed his real name.Burke published a
fanzine about comics in the late 1980s. With artist/publisherAllen Freeman , Burke co-created the superheroCaptain Optimist . ["Captain Optimist" #1 (Fan-Atic Press, 1986).]In tribute to Burke, the St. Paul, Minnesota
comic book convention [http://fallcon.mncba.com FallCon] holds all of its guest panel presentations in the "TM Maple Edutorium." [ [http://sequential.spiltink.org/2007/01/tm-maple.html T.M. Maple tribute page at Sequential: Canadian Comics News & Culture (Jan. 23, 2007).] Accessed Sept. 28, 2008.]Some believe that the "
Simpsons "' character theComic Book Guy was based on Maple. [ [http://ldopa.net/2006/04/04/best-comic-fan-ever/ "Best. Comic. Fan. Ever." L-Dopa (Apr. 4, 2006).] Accessed Sept. 28, 2008.] "Simpsons" creatorMatt Groening , however, has repeatedly stated that the Comic Book Guy was based on "... "every" comic-bookstore guy in America".cite news|title=Flash! 24 Simpsons Stars Reveal Themselves|accessdate=2007-08-15|date=2000-10-21 |publisher=TV Guide |author=Joe Rhodes]After Burke died of a
heart attack in 1994, he was eulogized in a number of letter columns published byDC Comics , the company he probably wrote to most prolifically.Notes
References
* Cronin, Brian. [http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/03/01/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-92/ "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed" #92, Comic Book Resources (Mar. 1, 2007).]
* T.M. Maple interview, "David Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview" no. 24.
* [http://www.tcj.com/messboard/viewtopic.php?t=949&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20&sid=d462e1ad24d7bc1ed1d70a2cccbb7f52 "T.M. Maple — Anyone ever meet the guy?", "The Comics Journal" message board (Dec. 11, 2006).]Eternal links
* [http://sequential.spiltink.org/2007/01/tm-maple.html T.M. Maple tribute page at Sequential: Canadian Comics News & Culture (Jan. 23, 2007).]
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